Chiarelli On Marchand Hit: 'Didn't Think It Was Predatory'
After a tough loss to the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday the Bruins struggled once again against the Winnipeg Jets, but found their stride in the third and won 5-3.
Boston Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli spoke with Toucher & Rich about what went on in the Vancouver game, Brad Marchand's suspension and Canucks head coach Alain Vigneault's comments about Marchand.
Shawn Thornton was awarded a penalty shot in Wednesday night's game against the Jets and he scored to tie it up at two. Does his success change the way Chiarelli and Claude Julien think about shootouts and Thornton?
"Well what I can tell you is almost every practice they have the shootout practice drill and he goes in all of them. It didn't surprise me that he did something like that and succeeded on it. So let's just say it's another element that Claude can look to when he's choosing, but you know he has some decent hands."
They moved on to discuss the Vancouver game from Saturday afternoon that has been a hot topic all week. They discussed the game misconduct that Milan Lucic received that was later rescinded. What did the officials see?
"There's a general rule that says that you can't leave the bench with the intent of joining an altercation. So that gets the misconduct and it gets you a ten games suspension. Then there's a secondary rule that says that it applies for players that are on the ice that if you are showing the intent, if you are about to change and you change course for the purpose of an altercation and there was a change that was made it has almost the same affect, you're going to get the misconduct and the ten games."
"He saw him with the foot in the door and then the foot out of the door and then joining the altercation."
Brad Marchand was given a five game suspension for his hit on Vancouver's Sami Salo. What did Chiarelli think of the ruling handed down by Brendan Shanahan?
"I thought it was too long and you go into these things and you're trying to remove the emotion, it's tough when you're playing Vancouver just from what happened last year and stuff that get's said. I didn't think it was predatory, but we agree to disagree. I didn't think it was predatory I think it was protecting yourself."
How much is this going to affect Marchand in the future? You would hope that he won't be judged differently by officials, but in the reality of things is this going to be tough on him as things proceed?
"I don't think so I think it's another thing he has to consider in his package in his skill set in what he brings...He just knows that he's got to learn how to play on the edge and that's been something that we've talked to him about even prior to this incident even prior to other incidents. It's an ongoing challenge for him, he knows that it makes him and affective player and he knows it's a challenge and he's going to figure it out."
Canucks head coach Alain Vigneault came out and made comments about Marchand after the game and basically said that if Marchand keeps playing the game the way he does someone will eventually hurt him. What did Chiarelli think of the comments by the Vancouver coach?
"I've already made a statement or I've made some comments on that and those comment were that it's inappropriate in light of some of the stuff that's happened before. You can't make these comments regarding retribution and it's just not appropriate and I don't know what's going on in Alain's head, but he shouldn't have said it."
The Bruins take on the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday night at the TD Garden, the puck drops at 7pm.
Listen to the Whole interview with Peter Chiarelli.
